


An Easy Let-Down?

by musikurt



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-10
Updated: 2012-03-10
Packaged: 2017-11-03 06:03:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/378105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musikurt/pseuds/musikurt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ernie comes back from a week in Paris and resolves to address something he should have weeks ago.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Easy Let-Down?

"We missed you! I honestly began to wonder if you were ever coming back!"

Ernie frowned. He had been away for a week in Paris and was dreading his return to the office. It was just his luck that the first person he would have to see upon his return would be Tanner Mitchell. He resisted the urge to pull away as Tanner gave him a hug and put an arm around his shoulder.

"Oh, um, thanks, I guess," Ernie replied. "I should get upstairs, though. So much to do today." Ernie twisted out from under Tanner's arm and rushed up the stairs to his office. He slammed the door and dropped into his chair.

The young Tanner was exactly the reason he had been dreading his return to the London office. Ever since the two of them spent some quality time together a few months earlier, Ernie worried that Tanner had the wrong impression of how Ernie felt about him. And Ernie was conflicted - he blamed himself somewhat for leading Tanner on and he knew he needed to let him down gently so it didn't affect anyone else in the workplace.

Tanner had joined Freya's just after graduating from Hogwarts eight months before. He was a member of the shop team, selling products on the floor to customers. Tanner turned out to be an excellent salesman and quickly exceeded expectations on the sales floor. It wasn't long before Tanner was offered promotions, all of which he flatly turned down.

Though he wasn't in the retail area himself, Ernie had taken notice of Tanner immediately, thinking he was incredibly attractive. Ernie always tried to shake this assessment as he had decided he never wanted to date a co-worker. He had observed similar situations that always seemed to lead to some sort of conflict in the workplace, even if the relationship went well.

It was a month prior at an office party that the two really started talking. Ernie enjoyed Tanner's sense of humour and found himself more drawn to his young colleague. Several drinks later, Ernie wound up inviting Tanner back to his flat against his better judgment. The next morning, Ernie's mistake became quite clear.

Ernie saw their time together as nothing more than a one-night stand. Tanner, on the other hand, seemed to think it meant something more. He woke up talking about making plans to get together again and what they should tell everyone else back at the office. Ernie managed to calm Tanner down and told him it was no one's business what they had done. He rushed Tanner out the door and hoped that it would blow over. He hoped that after a few weeks, Tanner would get the hint that he was not looking for a relationship.

The approach Ernie had decided to take quickly proved to be the wrong one. Tanner appeared increasingly interested in and attached to Ernie, often hugging him, putting his arm around him, and randomly stopping by Ernie's office with lunch or coffee. There were moments where Ernie was tempted to just leave things as they were. He enjoyed having someone who doted on him, but he knew it was not fair to allow Tanner to continue operating under false assumptions.

The week-long trip to Paris had come at a perfect time. Ernie knew he needed to address the growing problem with Tanner, but he had not been able to clear his head enough to really consider how to do it. Being completely away from him for a week had helped Ernie to realize just how important it was that he deal with the issue and to formulate a plan of action. He hoped everything would be resolved quickly upon his return.

Ernie had not planned on Tanner being the first person he saw when he came back into Freya's. He had resisted every temptation to talk to Tanner about everything right then and there. The sales floor was not the proper place for such a conversation. Since he knew it would only be a matter of time before Tanner stopped into his office on one of his breaks, Ernie decided it was better to let Tanner come to him.

"Ernie?" The voice and two sharp raps on the door frame signaled Tanner's arrival. He was carrying a box of pastries and plopped himself down in the chair that faced Ernie's desk. "I have been anxiously waiting all morning for a chance to get up here. I want to hear all about Paris. Was it a good trip?"

Ernie stared at Tanner for a moment. "Yes, it was an enjoyable trip. Look, I am glad you stopped up here. There's something I've been meaning to discuss with you." Ernie stood and closed the door to his office. He hoped he was mistaken when he thought he saw a glimmer in Tanner's eyes.

"What's that, Ernie?" Tanner leaned in as Ernie returned to his seat.

"Well, it's about...us." Ernie paused as he tried to gauge Tanner's reaction. "Since the night of the office party I feel like perhaps we have different perceptions of what's going on between us?"

There was a clear shift in Tanner's body language. He sat back in the chair and gave Ernie a look that resembled a scowl. "You think so? Because I don't think that's the case."

"No?" Ernie was a bit dumbfounded.

"Unless you've just been leading me on this whole time? I mean, I was under the impression we have something here. We had a great time. You like me. I like you. What more is there to understand?"

Ernie frowned and took a deep breath. "It's just that..." He struggled for what to say next.

"It's just what?" There was a hint of anger in Tanner's tone.

"I don't think we have something. Yes, I think you're attractive and funny and that's exactly why I took you home that night. But I never intended for it to be something more than a one-time thing."

Tanner jumped to his feet. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me. You're really going to try that line? What is it? Did you meet someone else in Paris?"

Ernie was confused and a bit fearful for his safety. He suddenly regretted closing the door. "No. This has nothing to do with anyone else, Tanner. I apologize if I was not more explicit from the beginning, but I never wanted any sort of a relationship with you."

"Oh, thanks," Tanner replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He slammed a fist onto Ernie's desk and turned for the door. He stopped just before turning the knob and faced Ernie again. "But we had sex, Ernie."

Ernie thought it almost sounded like Tanner was pleading with him. "Yes. We did. But it was just sex, Tanner. It wasn't meant to be anything more."

"But I--" Tanner trailed off and shifted his gaze to the floor. For a moment, Ernie thought he saw tears welling up in Tanner's eyes.

"Look, I'm really sorry, Tanner. Maybe I should have been clear up front, but I didn't think I needed to be. And I didn't say anything after because I didn't realize that you thought we actually had something. We haven't spent time together outside of work or anything."

Without saying a word, Tanner turned and was out the door. Ernie stared after him and sighed. Tanner's footsteps faded as he reached the bottom of the stares.

Ernie wondered if he might have been in the wrong. He knew Tanner was young which should have translated to inexperienced in his mind. He also knew that many young and inexperienced men he had encountered tended to equate sex with love - or at the very least, a desire for something more. But he had not made any promises to Tanner and he never intentionally led him on.

Portia Roope, head of the retail division, poked her head into Ernie's office. "Ernie, do you have a moment?"

Ernie felt his heart race at the sight of Portia in his office doorway. He could only imagine what Tanner might have said to her. Depending on the way he had spun the situation, Ernie knew that Tanner could make a case for sexual harassment. At the very least, Ernie figured he could be disciplined for indiscretion. He wanted to tell her he was busy, but he knew that would only delay the inevitable conversation that was about to take place. "Please, have a seat." He motioned to the chair across from him that Tanner had occupied just a few moments before.

"Oh, well," she started as she sat in the chair. "It might be none of my business, but I was just wondering what just happened up here. Did Tanner say anything to you before he left your office?"

Ernie studied her for a moment. This was not how he expected her questioning to being. Perhaps Tanner had not told her about their conversation. "Actually, no. We were talking about some things and then he just ran down the stairs."

"I see." Portia looked slightly troubled.

"Why do you ask?" Ernie wondered if he should share more details about their conversation, but was uncertain if Portia was the right person to tell. She was not his supervisor, after all.

"Well, he just came running down the stairs and said he was resigning effective immediately. I tried to stop him to ask him what was going on, but he just rushed out the door."

Ernie decided to fill in the details, even if it meant he got himself into trouble. Based on what Portia had just told him, he knew there were going to be rumours and it might be best if he shared the truth of what happened before everything spiraled into a complete mess. "Close the door, Portia. I'll tell you what I think is the cause."

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place in the [Pottertweets](http://pottertweets.livejournal.com/) RP AU.


End file.
